Samone a.k.a. "UsaMiKo"

Until Pikes Peak Prep 9th grade student, Samone Roberts, walked into my office I knew nothing about Manga.  

A little bit of research told me that Manga is the Japanese word for comic.  Manga-style comic books, graphic novels and artwork are gaining international popularity. But here was one of our students who had actually taken her artistic talent to put together a comic story and artwork in Manga-style. Samone Robert has been drawing in Manga-style since she was nine years of age.

There are many characteristics that make Manga very distinctive. The largest thing that Manga art is known for is its characters. Manga characters almost always have large eyes, small mouths, and they also usually have abnormal hair color.  This type of comic book reads from right-to-left.  Most people would consider it backwards. In the early ‘90s, when Manga first came to America, comic companies would print the comics to read left-to-right like an American comic.  But most companies nowadays are printing them in their original format. Also, these type of comics are often done in black/white instead of color.

Samone’s story focuses on an agency whose main purpose is to defeat evil monsters called Ink Marks.  One agent, LiLa, while working hard does not accomplish much and she blames one of the most popular and successful agents Yumi.  The boss of the company requests that both agents co-teach a class for upcoming, new agents.  They now have to work together to teach others while defeating an evil monster.

Samone (AKA UsaMiKo*) will continue to expand on the project and is saving money to print copies of it.

Pikes Peak Prep Ambassadors Introduce Fundraising Campaign

Recently fourteen student were selected as the Ambassadors for Pikes Peak Prep Charter School. These Ambassadors represent the school throughout the community with service projects, speaking engagements and business opportunity tours.  The Ambassadors represent the diverse school population and are viewed as mentors and leaders of Pikes Peak Prep. These students were provided etiquette and public speaking training at The Warehouse Restaurant, private dining room.  Ms. Denise Sutton spent the lunch focusing on etiquette skills that are needed in a professional environment. Our young gentlemen were standing each time our female students needed to leave the table! Everyone learned to always pass to our right and what piece of silver needs to used for each portion of the meal. After lunch, Dawn Dawson (Reflections Advertising) gave our students some valuable advice on public speaking.

Our young Ambassadors were given the opportunity to use their skills at the White Linen Lunch at The Warehouse.  There were about 25 guests from nearby churches, ENT Federal Credit Union, Compass Bank, Urban Peak, Pikes Peak Library District, USOC, Comcast Cable, and others that were entertained by 9th grade Pikes Peak Prep students.  The Ambassadors greeted their guests as they arrived. Six of the Ambassadors spoke why Pikes Peak Prep is so important to their lives.  Lastly, one of our Ambassadors kicked off the fundraiser that these students have decided to focus on this school year, Change for Change. The Pikes Peak Prep Ambassadors decided that they wanted to support families in need that are located in their own school community. 

There are families within the Pikes Peak Prep community that can not afford gas, groceries, medication or even utilities.  Ambassadors are collecting spare change to support these requests. During the White Linen Lunch the Ambassadors received close to $200.00 to fund requests. One of the clergy members from a nearby church will collect money from their congregation every other Sunday using the Change for Change can to help our students and their cause.  The Ambassadors will continue to raise money for their community families and fund these needs throughout the school year.

Please look for the Pikes Peak Prep Ambassadors as they continue to try to make a change in our community! Keep up the good work!

CenturyLink Employees Give for Thanksgiving

There’s a reason to be thankful at Pikes Peak Prep.  All families in need of a Thanksgiving dinners received a full Thanksgiving dinner for six thanks to the donations from local employees of Century Link.  On November 18 employees of Century Link delivered Thanksgiving dinners for 20 families at the school.  These contributions assisted the Pikes Peak Prep families in making their celebrations truly happy.  Thank you so much to the employees at Century Link.

Limo Tours to Everest College!

Everest College sent a Limo to pick up the Pikes Peak Prep students for a tour of the college.  For most of the students it was there first time to ride in such luxury.  Once they arrived at the college they were greeted by the Everest College staff who provided them information and a tour of the facility.  The students were treated to lunch, candy, and even got to ride back to Pikes Peak Prep in the Limo.

A Beautiful Wall by our Students

Congratulations to the most recent Ben Franklin Award Winners Ms. Stephanie Studebaker and Ms. Lisa Cross. When classes started this August, everyone probably noticed the gorgeous mural painted onto the wall dividing PPP from the empty lot beside it. During the end of last year, Ms. Studebaker noticed the wall was always tagged with “gang-related” signs. Thinking it was a perfect way to improve the school and school community, she along with Ms. Cross set out to change the “artwork” on this wall into something beautiful that displayed our students many talents. Ms. Studebaker took the time and effort to make sure the idea was approved by all those who needed to be notified and Ms. Cross gathered all the supplies and donations needed for the project. With only a month and a half left of the school year, the two teachers along with supervision of other teachers and PPP’s students from 3rd grade and 8th grade set out to turn the wall into a magnificent wall of beauty. Ms. Studebaker, Ms. Cross, and their students are excellent examples of how we can help improve our school and community.

PTO Craft Fair coming up...

Just a note from your fabulous PTO

During the PTO Craft Fair (December 9^th), the PTO will be raffling off some “Theme Baskets” and other prizes.

We are asking for themed donations from teachers, parents and friends for each of the grade classes

 K-12. A week before the fair, (Dec 2^nd ) A PTO representative will pick up all donations from classes and separate items into 12 baskets.

All donations must be new items for the baskets. Items can be anything pertaining to your student’s grade theme.

Thank you in advance,

Pikes Peak Prep PTO

                                                     Class themes are as follows

                             Kindergarten- Crayola’s/ Art             1^st Grade- Barbie

                                        2^nd Grade- Disney                    3^rd Grade- Pets

                                   4^th Grade- Chocolate                 5^th   Grade-Christmas

                                  6^th Grade - Books/Reading              7^th Grade- Coffee / kitchen

                                     8^th Grade - Sports                       9^th Grade - Game night

                                                  10^th -11Grades’ camping/ outdoors

                                                                   12^th Movie night

Climb, Climb, Climb!

Pikes Peak Climbing Club

The Rock Climbing club is structured for our 7th-12^th grade and meets every Wednesday from 3:45 p.m. - 6.00 p.m. at CityROCK. Students learn the basics of climbing, knots, belaying techniques, and safety.  They will climb indoors and outdoors, visiting such places as Ute Valley Park, Garden of the Gods, Cheyenne Canyon, and other out of town spots.  They will rappel, boulder, top rope, and sport climb. 

CityROCK has climbing for all ages and abilities. Their gym features climbing walls for leading and top roping, with overhangs, cracks and dry tooling routes for ice training. They also have a large area dedicated to bouldering with a large variety of problems.

Check out a couple of photos from last year.

Art Newsletter November 2011

Dear Parents,

All grades had a great time doing Day of the Dead activities, including masks and sugar skulls. In November we will be studying the artist Andrea Zittel.

All grades will be designing their own escape vehicle or floating manmadepopsicle sticks, yarn, and clay. The kids are very excited about this project! In the early 1990s, Andrea Zittel began making art in response to her own surroundings and daily routines, creating functional objects that fulfilled the artist’s needs relating to shelter, food, furniture, and clothing. She produced her first "Living Unit"--an experimental structure intended to reduce everything necessary for living into a simple, compact system—as a means of facilitating basic activities within her 200-square-foot Brooklyn storefront apartment. In order to make customized "Living Units" and other usable artworks available to contemporary consumers, Zittel launched the one-woman corporation, A-Z Administrative Services. While some of her modernist-inspired products were designed with the intention of making daily routines easy and efficient, others, such as the pod-like "Escape Vehicles," appealed to fantasies of isolating oneself from the outside world.

November Science Newsletter Info

Duran- November Science Newsletter Info

7^th Grade:  Plants/Cellular Respiration

Often called producers and autotrophs, these organisms are the basis of the energy cycle of life.  Without plants, consumers/heterotrophs would not have the energy required to sustain life.  Students will be investigating how plants get their nutrients through their structural design- plants are not just a stem and leaves.  In addition, we will learn that consumers and producers utilize energy in a process known as Cellular Respiration.

8^th Grade:  Seasons

In science there are many misconceptions about why we experience seasons on Earth.  One of those is that our distance from the sun determines Winter and Summer.  Students will discover that it is the tilt of the Earth, 23.5⁰, toward or away from the Sun is the main determining factor.  In addition, we will learn that the tilt and position of the Earth in its revolution around the sun determines Fall and Spring Equinox, and the Summer and Winter Solstice.

Biology:  Cells

Cells are the basic unit of life.  As students will discover, it was the work of many scientist such as Schleiden, Schwann, Hooke, Van Leuwenhoek and Virchow, who were prominent figures in the discovery of what is a cell, the components of cells, and how cells specialize.  Their work was the driving force of the Cell Theory.  Students will learn that cells are either prokaryotic or eukaryotic and contain small organ called organelles that are responsible for the maintenance and function of the cell.

Chemistry:  Predicting Products

Students have learned that all matter is a product of one of 6 types of chemical reactions.  Students have learned to identify the types of bonds that can form between elements which will be their guide to predicting products of various reactions.  In addition, we will continue to use our knowledge and skills to balance those equations, as well.

Earth Science:  Glaciers, Deserts and Wind

The Ice Age was a period of time when much of the Earth was covered in glaciers.  These ice masses have slowly moved over the Earth, down mountain valleys, and steep rock walls leaving behind a changed landscape.  Students will discover that these resultant changes can be seen in the form of glacial troughs, hanging valleys, cirques, arêtes, and horns.  We will also differentiate between a glacier and an ice sheet.  Ice sheets are much larger, land bound, and are found covering Greenland and Antarctica.

GEO AMBASSADORS

Congratulations to the following students for being selected to be GEO Ambassadors. These students will host the White Linen Lunch, Monday November 14th at Noon.

"Gratitude is the Best Attitude"

November School Wide Character Development

Character Trait of the Month 

Character Education Trait

Our Character trait word for the month of November is GRATITUDE. This month we will be working on understanding why gratitude is important and how it impacts our future social and academic success.   

We will be commending grateful behaviors and discussing ways we can show gratitude for our community and people who serve/work to make our world a better and safer place. As well as showing appreciation for ourselves, in relationships with classmates, teachers, friends and family, in our education and overall character. We will also highlight ways showing gratitude creates opportunities for triumph and growth. 

We will continue the character trait tickets.  When students are seen displaying grateful actions they will be rewarded with “Caught Being Grateful” tickets.  These tickets allow students the opportunity to be nominated for Eagle of the week and month.  Their names will be announced in the morning on Fridays, and for Eagles of the month the students are treated to lunch with the principal!

Gratitude/thankfulness – a feeling of thankful appreciation for benefits received

Gratitude is the memory of the heart. ~ French proverb, Jean Baptiste Massieu

Gratitude helps you to grow and expand; gratitude brings joy and laughter into your life and into the lives of all those around you. ~ Eileen Caddy

Happiness is itself a kind of gratitude. ~ Joseph Wood Krutch

The only people with whom you should try to get even are those who have helped you. ~ John E. Southard

If a fellow isn’t thankful for what he’s got, he isn’t likely to be thankful for what he’s going to get. ~ Frank A. Clark

Gratitude is the best attitude. ~ author unknown

Give thanks.  Appreciate what you DO have…the more we give thanks, the more we receive to be thankful for.  Gratitude is the gift that always gives back. ~ Matthew McConaughey

Congrats Katy and Berea!

 

We currently have two seniors at PPCC.  Both took the Accuplacer.  Katy Hartlaben, a Junior, passed all three parts.  Last year she earned 10 college credits.  She is currently enrolled in three classes; Communication 125, English 122, Anthropology 101 and will earn an additional 9 credits at the end of this semester. Right now, we plan on Katy taking 4 classes next semester and earning an additional 12 credits.  So at the end of this year she should have 31 credits.  Next year, she will easily complete her Associate Degree as a Senior.  Way to go Katy!

Berea Olson, a senior also passed the Accuplacer.  Last year she earned 3 college credits.  This semester she is taking 2 classes; English 121 and Business 115.  She should earn 6 credits.  So at the end of the semester she should have earned 9 credits.  Depending on how successful she is, she will take one or two classes next semester.  Therefore, she will have 12 – 15 college credits when she graduates. Awesome job Berea!

We anticipate additional Pikes Peak Prep students joining these two in the Middle College Program next semester.  We have over 50 students who just took the Accuplacer in October! Keep up the good work students!

Trunk or Treat or Bus!

Pikes Peak Prep Charter  in conjunction with the Hillside Neighborhood Association harvested together a bus full of treats (and wind blown decorations) for  local kids as they came out dressed up in characters' from A to Z traveling from trunk to trunk.
The Hillside Community Center sponsors this event every year as a safe alternative for
Trick or Treat for the very little werewolves' and princess' with a
costume competition ages 0-10 as well as a trunk competition.

Thanks to the Murphy's of Pikes Peak Prep, Pikes Peak Prep staff (and students)
and the Hillside Neighborhood Association for a Bootiful afternoon!

Young Marine Cpl @ PPP!

During one of the 'Spirit Week' students were encouraged to dress up for 'Career Day'. Ninth grader, Erik Hartleben, displayed his rank, ribbons and uniform which were not borrowed, but have been earned. He is in the Young Marines and has earned the title of Young Marine Corporal. The Young Marines is an excellent way for young people to develop responsibility, self-discipline and good leadership skills.  Erik has been with this program for almost two years and loves it!

Dance the Night Away!

Pikes Peak Prep held it’s first Homecoming Dance at Hillside Community Center. High school students were allowed to bring a date and free pizza and pop were served to all that attended.  Math instructor, Andrew Pompelia was the DJ and spun tunes that the students enjoyed. 

Decorated in a casino theme, students dressed in their best party wear.  Yearbook Club used this dance as an opportunity to raise funds to help with the production of the Yearbook this year. There was an entrance fee of $5.00 and students were given the opportunity to bring a guest.  Chaperons consisted of a handful of parents, teachers and administration. 

This was such a huge success that it has created discussion centered around Spring Prom.

Science-Filled Saturday

Pikes Peak Prep had seven science club members, three parents and one guest attend the Colorado Springs Science Festival Carnival Kick-Off at UCCS last week. Students stretched their minds (and their school weeks) at this event on a Saturday. Students had the opportunity to experience a myriad of hands-on activities as well as attend two special presentations: Matter and The Chemistry of Magic. A great time was had by all!